Wire-stretching device



(No Model.)

SFGRAHAM; WIRE STRETCHING DEVICE.

Patented Dec. 12,- 1893'.

WZ'ZYZarses ZZZComy UNETE rn'rns SAMUEL GRAHAM, OF LEBEOK, MISSOURI.

WlRE-STRETCHING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 510,477, dated December 12, 1893.

Application filed August 2, 1893. SerialN0-482J49- (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL GRAHAM, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Lebeck, in the county of Cedar and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in ire-Stretching Devices; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention consists of a wire-stretching device adapted to be used for taking up the slack in wire fences, and for stretching the wire taut when such a fence is being set up, and having the novel features of construction to be hereinafter pointed out and which are illustrated in the drawings, wherein is shown the preferred form of my invention.

Referring to such drawings,-Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved wire-stretching device. Fig. 2 is a side view of a fence illustratingthe manner of using the invention.

The device consists of a bar A, preferably made of metal and shaped as shown in the drawings, from the central portion of which project the two prongs or short arms 13, B. That portion of the bar A to which the bars B are secured is preferably bowed toward them, as shown at 5, so that the prongs set out to one side of the two arms 2 and 3 of the barA of the device. This arrangement tends to lessen the danger of injuring the hands upon the barbs of the fence when the device is being used upon barbed-wire.

One of the arms, 2, of the barAis provided with a cross-bar O, the ends of which are hooked as at c. The other arm, 3, has its end made tapering and is curved outward as indicated at 4:. The tapering portion 4 of the arm is preferably round in cross-section while the rest of the bar A may be, and preferably is, polygonal and flattened.

In Fig. 2, D, 1) represent the fence posts, and E, E, E E E the fence wires. The wire E is represented as being slack; wire E has been bent by means of my tool to form the kink 8; wire E has been kinked and the tool is being engaged therewith, prior to twisting the wire; wire E has been twisted and gaged from the wire,

drawn taut; and in connection with wire E is shown the manner of using the device when the fence is being set up.

When the fence is being set up and the wires are drawn taut prior to finally securing them to the posts, the tool is used as follows: The pron gs are made to embrace the wire, and then the device is turned,-th.e arms 2 and 3, serving as handles, until the wire is wound upon the prongs sufficiently to take up the slack; one of the hooks c of the cross-arm is then made to engage with the wire which serves to hold the device in place on the wire so that the operator can leave the device and attend to finally securing the wire to the post.

By reference to wires E, E, E and E of Fig. 2 of the drawings, the operation of the device when used for stretching a wire already secured to the posts, will be understood. The prongs B are first made to engage with the slack wire and the tool turned until the wire is kinked or bent, as shown at e in the wire E. When this kink has been formed the tool is disengaged therefrom, and the pointed end 4 is made to engage therewith, as shown at the wire E The tool is then turned, causing the wire to be twisted and looped, and this is continued a sufficient number of times to produce the required degree of tightness. The tapering form of the end 4 of the arm of the tool permits it to be readily disengaged from the loop 0 which has been formed by the said twisting operation, and when it is withdrawn, the wire is in the condition represented at E with a loop 6 therein, which is permanent, and which results in taking up all the slack in the wire.

The cross-arm or bar 0 serves as a handle and permits great force to be exerted in turning the tool so as to twist the wire, either upon the prongs B, or upon the pointed end 4.

By making the pointed end of the tool tapering as described, there is little, or no danger of the wires binding so tightly thereon as to prevent the tool from being readily disenand the peculiar curve which is shown as being given to this end of the tool enables it to be readily engaged with the wire, and always causes a loop to be formed when the tool is turned.

The device which I have described is simple in its construction and is so shaped or formed that it is exceedingly efficacious in the performance of those functions for which it is 5 designed.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

A wire-stretching device consisting of the l 0 bar A having between its ends the bowed portion 5 to which are secured the prongs B, B,

and having one of its ends provided with a hooked cross-bar O, and its other end terminoting in a pointed bent portion 4, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

SAMUEL GRAHAM.

Witnesses:

B. B. MGORARY, I. A. MORTON. 

